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1777 Revolutionary War Prisoner Voucher Oliver Ellsworth John Lawrence Ezekiel Williams |
This interesting document represents quite a bit of Revolutionary War history. It is a pay order to Captain Williams of the Connecticut Line for the Commission of Prisoners. The Connecticut Line was one of the first regular army regiments of the American Revolution. Troops from this regiment fought in all major engagements, beginning in Brooklyn in 1776, they crossed the Delaware with George Washington and served with destinction at Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, and Yorktown. This document includes the signatures of Oliver Ellsworth, (1745-1807), one of the nation's founding fathers and third Chief Justice of the United States and Washington's Aide-de-Camp John Lawrence, as well as Ezekiel Williams, commander of the first Federal Prison of which this document relates to.
Oliver Ellsworth was a delegate to the
General Assembly of the state that met soon after the
Battle of Lexington, and throughout the Revolutionary War
was a member of the Continental Congress. He was one of
the delegates from Connecticut in the Federal
Constitutional Convention, one of the first two senators
from Connecticut, and, on appointment of President
Washington, served as Chief Justice of the United States
from 1796 to 1800.
Ellsworth made his greatest
contribution while serving in the United States Senate by
drafting the
Judiciary Act of 1789; the court system it established
has continued to the present with little change.
This document is also signed by
JOHN LAWRENCE, famous patriot of the American
Revolutionary War. Lawrence was the Judge at the Trial of
Major Andre, the officer who was caught sending the
British a note from Benedict Arnold, causing Arnold to be
exposed as a British spy. Lawrence was also Aide-de-Camp
of Generals Washington and McDougall."
In very fine condition; normal edge tatter, light folds, no foxing;
strong ink and signatures
